Steve Miller – Jet Airliner …Under The Covers Week

This ends Under The Covers Week. I hope you all have enjoyed it…I wrote a few more but I will post them later.

I’ve stayed away from Steve Miller as far as posting because of the constant play on classic radio he gets. I have to admit though, that guitar lick in the intro never gets old. I always thought he wrote this song. I had no idea that someone did this before.

Paul Pena - New Train

Jet Airliner was written by Paul Pena, a blind folk singer from Cape Cod. Pena played at the Newport Folk Festival in 1969 but was unable ever to make it big in the music business. Pena wrote this song in 1973 and the song tackled his unhappiness over working on his album New Train which, as a result of disagreements, remained unreleased for 27 years. In 2000 it was finally released and praised.

He was grateful that Steve Miller covered this song. For the rest of his life, his royalties from Miller’s version was his only source of income. In 1997 he was in a fire and with heavy smoke inhalation and was in a coma for four days. In the last years of his life, he had diabetes and pancreatitis…he passed away in 2005 because of both complications. In the eighties, he also lived through his wife passing away.

In 1975, Steve Miller needed one more song to record his Book Of Dreams album. This one fit perfectly…the original song had angry verses that Miller re-shaped and it turned out to be a big hit for him. Personally, I like both versions but Pena’s is really raw and I like it. Miller tightened it up and streamlined it.

The album peaked at #2 in the Billboard Album Charts, #1 in Canada, #5 in New Zealand, and #12 in the UK in 1977. He had 2 top twenty hits off of that album along with Jungle Love which peaked at #23.

The song peaked at #8 on the Billboard 100, #3 in Canada, #12 in New Zealand, and didn’t chart in the UK.

Steve Miller talked about Pena’s song: “‘Jet Airliner’ was about those people and his treatment on the East Coast when he went out, He really didn’t want to leave California and go to the East Coast and record this record, and this was a song about it. When he brought it to me, he had recorded an album, and nothing had happened. On that album, there were five or six really, really great songs, and I needed one song.”

Steve Miller: “it was very long, verse after verse after verse of anger, a lot of it. So I took the song and said, ‘Can I reshape it? Can I play with it?’ They said, ‘You can do anything you want to with it.’ I remember laying out all the lyrics, typing them up on big sheets of paper… I had them all out on my kitchen table, moving the verses around… then I got it all together and went, ‘Yeah, this’ll work – it’s great!’”

Jet Airliner

Leavin’ home, out on the road
I’ve been down before
Ridin’ along in this big ol’ jet plane
I’ve been thinkin’ about my home
But my love light seems so far away
And I feel like it’s all been done
Somebody’s tryin’ to make me stay
You know I’ve got to be movin’ on

Oh, oh big ol’ jet airliner
Don’t carry me too far away
Oh, oh big ol’ jet airliner
‘Cause it’s here that I’ve got to stay

Goodbye to all my friends at home
Goodbye to people I’ve trusted
I’ve got to go out and make my way
I might get rich you know I might bet busted
But my heart keeps calling me backwards
As I get on the 707
Ridin’ high I got tears in my eyes
You know you got to go through hell
Before you get to heaven

Big ol’ jet airliner
Don’t carry me too far away
Oh, oh big ol’ jet airliner
‘Cause it’s here that I’ve got to stay

Touchin’ down in New England town
Feel the heat comin’ down
I’ve got to keep on keepin’ on
You know the big wheel keeps on spinnin’ around
And I’m goin’ with some hesitation
You know that I can surely see
That I don’t want to get caught up in any of that
Funky shit goin’ down in the city

Big ol’ jet airliner
Don’t carry me too far away
Oh, oh big ol’ jet airliner
‘Cause it’s here that I’ve got to stay

Oh, oh big ol’ jet airliner
Don’t carry me too far away
Oh, oh big ol’ jet airliner
‘Cause it’s here that I’ve got to stay
Yeah, yeah yeah, yeah

Big ol’ jet airliner
Don’t carry me too far away
Oh, oh big ol’ jet airliner
‘Cause it’s here that I’ve got to stay

Oh, oh big ol’ jet airliner
Carry me to my home
Oh, oh big ol’ jet airliner
‘Cause it’s there that I belong

…

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

60 thoughts on “Steve Miller – Jet Airliner …Under The Covers Week”

  1. Funny enough a few weeks back I finally snagged a copy of Greatest Hits on vinyl. I had no idea this was a cover tune. Holy moly just listened to that Pena version. Amazing and poor guy one bad thing after another but as you said at least the royalties of this tune kept rolling in for Paul. Great way to end this week dude and your right I did not see this one coming…

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  3. Wow. That was a cover. I had no idea. And, Pena’s was great, too. His playing & singing style remind me of Hendrix & Lenny Kravitz. He could have been a star. What a shame…

    Steve Miller’s version has been played to death, mostly the “funky kicks” version, changing the cursing.

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  4. Count me as one who didn’t know this was a cover. I like Pena’s version very much. Miller’s version was never a song I cared for much, but it does take me back to my first huge rock concert, in KC that summer. It was Styx, Rick Derringer, Miller, and Frampton. Miller stole the show from Frampton, who was supposed to be the big name headliner. Miller used lasers, which was a new thing at the time. Festival seating was the other thing I experienced there…being carried through the entrance gates by the push of the crowd. Shiver.

    I get why you avoid posting about Miller. He’s kind of an intriguing guy, but his music goes in the same category with Foreigner and Boston, at least in this region. If I turn on our classic rock station, there’s probably more than a 50% chance that one of those three is what they are playing. Sigh. I do like knowing it has benefited Pena for life, though.

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    1. That is a huge show! I don’t think I ever had festival seating…. I never got to see Miller though I wanted to. I really liked the guy when I found him but geez…like you said…he is played to death and back.

      Some of his songs I can listen to like the under played Heart Like A Wheel and his early music like Living In The USA.

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      1. It was very memorable, thanks. Styx was debuting ‘Come Sail Away’ before it was released. That was probably my favorite memory. The other would be hearing Frampton perform ‘Do You Feel Like We Do’, of course.

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  5. There is a remarkable film about Paul Pena, a self-taught Tuvan throat singer. He traveled to Mongolia and won a singing competition there. The films is “Genghis Blues”. I know him more for his throat singing than this. Thanks. Like Fleetwood Mac, I think Steve Miller’s greatest fame came after his peak. (Fleetwood Mac’s peak, of course, being the Peter Green years). Miller started as a blues singer/guitarist. His band included Ben Sidran, Boz Scaggs, Curley Cook, Lonnie Turner, and Tim Davis. He previously played with Barry Goldberg (Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Electric Flag). Tracy Nelson’s song “Down So Low” was written about him… and Les Paul was his godfather. Sorry for all this, but he’s my homeboy. Sidran still lives here.

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    1. I appreciate all the info. I should have put something in here about Genghis Blues becasue I read that…I want to see it. Don’t get me wrong…I knew nothing about it until I wrote this up.

      I do like Steve Miller’s early blues music with Boz Scaggs. I can’t blame Miller for cashing in but yea that earlier music is great…even Living In The USA.

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    2. Wow that’s wonderful info on Paul Pena *and* Steve Miller. Will look for “Genghis Blues.” I’m sure you’ve heard Steve’s, “Born 2B Blue”? Les Paul, of course! Now that you mention it, definitely see/hear the influence.

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  8. Like everyone else here, I didn’t know this was a cover nor the backstory. Interesting. Gonna go back & give a listen to the original. As SMB hits go, this is one of the better ones to me.

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    1. That poor guy had everything go wrong for him…I’m glad Miller covered this for his sake…. but really I wish his album would have gotten released…it must hurt bad…having an album released many years after the fact and raved about…but the time was missed becasue of a stupid manager.

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      1. after listening to the Paul one, I can hear the reason for Kravitz (voice) and Jimi (overall sound) comparisons. Not bad, but I’d have to say I like the Steve Miller version better. That’s something you don’t hear me say everyday!

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      2. I avoided cover versions when I’ve been posting music for the most part. It’s fun to go back and do some I’ve always wanted to like CCR Heart It Through The Grapevine. This is the only one that I had no clue about.

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  11. Great song! Like you Max, I had no idea Steve Miller’s rendition was a cover. He certainly did a great job with it.

    That said, I also like the original, which I just heard for the very first time. It’s also good to hear the royalties gave Paul Pena a source of income for the rest of his life.

    To me, it’s mind-boggling to be reminded once again of how many talented musicians are out there, who never catch a break and struggle for all their life!

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    1. The poor guy…what would have happened if this album would have been released? It really sucks but yea at least he had the money from this version.

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  13. I get both versions, one is for listeners , the other is a fine three minute listen when in the car. With Pena I also hear the Hendrix/Kravitz link.
    Man, some people seem to get a sewerfull of bad luck.

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  14. I like the sound of Pena’s original better but I like how Steve tightens it up. Happy it provided a steady source of income for the original artist. I’ve always liked Steve’s music and don’t listen to commercial radio anymore so no chance of getting tired of it. One of my favorite albums of his is “Born 2B Blue.”

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  16. I had pretty much moved away from Steve at this stage (and commercial radio at the time). I was a huge fan of his earlier work. Saying that, over the last couple years I have listened to him with new ears and am enjoying him again. A lot of his newer output is really good. Steve makes this song swing and I like that. He has a very cool and easy delivery on his vocals. Like some of the others I had no idea of the Pena original. Man is it good. Has a JJ Cale (and others) easy vibe. Really cool. Im going to put this on my spin list. Great final choice fella.

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    1. Thanks CB…Steve’s greatest enemy to me was commercial radio. Like you I have stayed away from it and can listen to things again. Pena’s version is raw and I like that.

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      2. I had no clue of that either…I also thought that Black Magic Woman was an original by them until I did a post on Fleetwood Mac

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  17. Epilogue: Very cool week Max. Covers run the gamut from Ella (Sunshine Of Your Love. Surprising cool) to Jerry Lee doing Zep (Rock n Roll. Very apt). I love covers (so many gems out there) and I love your idea on covering them. I covered many covers when I was CBing it. Sprinkled all over my takes. Elvis and Bill Haley kicked started rock n roll with covers. Ive been locked into a great cover lately and if you’re interested Ill let you in on it but it’s secret stuff (Just kidding). Good work Max.

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    1. Share it CB!
      I was quite surprised on how many people liked this week. Most of these songs I’ve done the original already but people love covers.

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      1. There is a whole world of covers out there.
        Widespread Panic take a Van song and have the ghosts from The Band inspire ‘And It Stoned Me’. The version moves me to the bone. Always liked the original but this version is hitting me hard. ‘Weight’ like to my ears. I can hear the Canadian lads doing this one. Cant get it off my music machine. I’m sure Max will dig it. Has that earthy feel that I know you dig. Beautiful

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      2. I just listened to that version…I love the organ in that and yes…I agree…they channel some of The Band. It’s one of my favorite Van songs…they do a hell of a job.
        You are correct…yes I do of course…it’s earthy and right up my alley. Thanks again dude!

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      4. I do know them some…The Band, Allman Brothers, and a twist of the Dead is what they remind me of. They do have some great stuff. The one song I always think of is Up All Night.

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  18. I was a Miller fan for a while, and I did dig this song. I saw them back in the mid 90s at Starplex at Fair Park. He had a great band of young guys behind him and didn’t disappoint the older crowd. Good to see CB back in the loop.

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  19. Never knew it was a cover! What a sad story for the writer but at least steve miller helped ease the drama with the royalties. Steve miller is sadly hardly ever played over in the UK these days, and if he gets the odd play you can guarantee itll be abracadabra or the joker. Not the brilliant RocknMe or any of the other US hits…. 😯

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